Rosario Vampire

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Rosario Vampire is a part of a vampire Japanese manga series. Japanese artist and writer Akihisa Ikeda wrote and illustrated the manga series. Ikeda, who is a professional mangaka, was born in Nichinan, Miyazaki, Japan on October 25, 1976. 

Ever since Ikeda was a child, he has been a huge fan of monsters and vampires, an interest that is notable in his work. Besides Rosario + Vampire, Ikeda is also the writer and illustrator of Kiruto, which was released in 2002 as a four-volume series in the magical warrior fantasy genre. 

Ikeda has said that he loves being a mangaka, or professional manga artist, because he is free to go for a walk whenever he wants during the day, while most others are trapped in their stuffy office cubicles.

Rosario Vampire was turned into a published series in August 2004 in the Monthly Shonen Jump, of which it was published until June 2007. In November 2007 the series continued in the publication Jump Square under the story title of Rosario + Vampire: Season II. 

Outside of Japan, Rosario + Vampire was published in English for markets in both North America and the UK under Viz Media, as well as by Madman Entertainment for New Zealand and Australia. 

Rosario + Vampire has also been released in the format of three-disc audiobooks, two Internet streaming pages, two illustrated novels, and an adaptation in a written novel.

Rosario + Vampire was also adapted into anime for 13 episodes. The anime adaption was first aired in Japan from January to March of 2008, and then with a second season that aired later that year from October to December. In North America, fans of Rosario + Vampire were able to view the anime version in 2011, while the anime is scheduled for release in 2012 for the southern hemisphere fans in Australia and New Zealand.

The story of Rosario Vampire is based on the protagonist named Tsukune Aono. Aono is unable to attend his preferred private high school because of his meager grade point average. Fortunately, his parents get him into a private high school named Yokai Academy. However, when Aono begins classes, he is quick to learn that the school is not like the other private high schools. He later learns that Yokai Academy was founded by three Dark Lords; one of the Dark Lords is the current dean of the academy.

Yokai Academy is a school for humans who are actually mythological monsters and paranormal creatures. The school was established to allow supernatural creatures to be able to exist alongside the human world. The Great Barrier surrounds the academy and keeps it hidden from view of the human world. 

In order to reach the school, students travel along the Tunnel of the Fourth Dimension to get to the school while riding on a bus. For those humans who come in contact with the students of the academy, they are to be killed so that no one discovers the secrets of the students. Aono learns the truth about the other students and is terrified that he will be found out by his classmates.

Rosario Vampire really picks up as Aono makes friends with a female vampire named Moka Akashiya. A gorgeous vampire who becomes attracted to Aono more so for his blood than as a love interest, Akashiya likes to nibble on Aono’s neck at any chance. Soon she learns that Aono is a human, but forgives him as she realizes he is truly her friend and her only friend she has ever had. Aono is also head over heels for Akashiya, and chooses to stay at the school even though if anyone else discovers he is a human they will certainly kill him.

The title of the story, Rosario Vampire, is soon discovered after Aono makes the connection between the rosario that circles Akashiya’s neck and her vampirism. When the rosario is removed, she turns into a vicious blood thirsty creature. Also Aono is the only person who can take the rosario off of her neck to turn her into a vampire. Whenever she does turn into a vampire, Akashiya is the most powerful supernatural being of all of the students at the academy.

Rosario + Vampire continues as Aono befriends other students at the academy. 

While these students are initially Aono’s enemies, he is soon able to earn their trust. Some of his female confidants include Mizore Shirayuki who is a yuki-onna, which is a teenage snow woman from Japanese folk stories; she thinks she and Aono are soul mates. 

Ruby Tojo is a witch that hails from the world of humans, while Yukari Sendo is a young witch who is 11 years old. 

Ginei Morioka is the president over the school newspaper, as well as a werewolf with a perverted sensibility. Then there is Kurumu Kurono who is a busty succubus who is also attracted to Aono. As Aono befriends each of these female school mates, he also finds they are attracted to him as a member of the opposite sex. However this poses a threat to his vampire friend Akashiya. Eventually all of Aono’s friends discover he is a human, but they are on his side for support.

In Rosario + Vampire: Season II, Akashiya’s half-sister Kokoa Shuzen comes to the school. Also the students learn that there are organizations around campus, such as Fairy Tale and the Anti-Schoolers, that threaten the worlds of the monsters and the humans. Fighting ensues as Aono and his lady friends work to abolish the dangerous organizations. Meanwhile Aono is continually evolving into a bridge between supernatural beings and humans, as he learns how to use his own special talents and abilities to serve as an advocate for both worlds.

Rosario Vampire has been released in several forms including anime, manga, and film, which show the popularity of this series not just in Japan but around the globe. Expect that fans of the serialization of Rosario + Vampire will keep the series alive, and perhaps even encourage the publication of a third season of anime and manga.